Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-12-02
COMMUNICATIONS.
Winfield Township Institute.

The teachers, directors and friends
of education met according to previ-
ous arrangements at Centre School,
Winfield township, on the 10 ult ,
to organize an Institute for all who
wished to attend. The Institute
was organized by choosing j. f.
Hutzler as Chairman and W. C..
Findley as Secretary.
Primary reading and spelling"
was discussed by j. NJ Painter, who
condemned the old method of teach
ing by letter He believed in taking
some object familiar to the child,
writing the name on the board and
impressing the child with the form
of the word, gradually advancing by
supplementing new words, until the
child can read readily. j Fl. Donald
followed recommending a picture of
the object on the board as an aid.
W. S. Graft endorsed Messrs. Painter
and Donald.
Language was next discussed.
Opened by W. G. Findley, who di-
vided the subject into two parts-nat-
ural and word language. The belief
was expressed that the lack of ink in
the study of this branch could be rem
edied by noting incorrect and vulgar
expressions, calling attention TO them,
and so awaken curiosity. j. +.
Hutzler wonld have one or more ex-
pressions on the playground, and then
correct them. g part of the exercise.
W. S. Graf thonght that easy and
plain words and sentences should be
used to start young pupils. j. FL.
Donald believed that grammar should
be taught early in life and especially
by practical corrections.
Geography came next. Opened by
w. S Graf, who would teach by di
viding into three common divisions.
Primary geography should be taught
by commencing near home and by
synthetic methods, passing on to the
analy tic. j. NJ Painter would draw
pi cture of the hemispheres on the
board and the circles which cross
them. w. G. Findley and w. S
Graf recommended the use of globes
to teach the two motions Of the earth,
its relation to the sun and other plan
cts j. f. Hutzler believed that
board Illustration was beneficial in
teaching geography.
Recess. Then query box was
opened and answered by the teachers.
Writing was opened by j. f. Hutz
Ter. who believed there should be no
hobby made of writing, but pupils
should be taught to write good leg
ibIe hand. Mr.. Donald agreed with
Hutzler and Mr.. Graf favored set
copies.
How to secure the cooperation of
parents was opened by Mr.. Donald,
who said that the child betrayed its
training at homo by it's actions at
school, and that it was not necessary
to visit parents to find out their atti
tude towards the school. for the child
showed it. Mr. Findley observed
that those who never visit the school,
orco-operate with the teacher, ,are.most
ly the first to complain and brand the
teacher as failure. Director j. q.
Smith recommended the visiting OF
schools bv friends of education
This closed the program of the
day, and now may we be allowed to
add a word touching the attitude Of
the people of this and adjoining town.
ships to our efforts to make these
meetings the fulcrum on which shall
be overbalanced Indifference aad apa-
thy. Only lend US your power-arm
and we will lift these weights from
their well imbedded resting places,
and plant in their places trees of
knowledge, whose branches are al
ways the safest under hich to shell
ter in sunshine or storm.
Adjourned to meet at Leasureville
School No 2, ON Saturday, Dec. II,
at 10 O'Clock a. N F., physiology, his
tory, spelling. decimals, how TO &C.
cure attention during recitationa end
how to grade a district school, will be
SECRETARY.